I might also call this post ‘wasps are not worthless’. Last year when I was trimming evergreen hedges I clipped the edge of a golf ball sized wasp nest and was stung. Let me tell you I was not feeling an ounce of compassion or happy thoughts about how all living things are relevant. I thought what is your purpose wasp? Do you make honey and help plants grow?? No.
Or so I thought. After doing a little research on figs, I’ve discovered that while some fig trees have been domesticated and don’t require pollination—some DO.
They require pollination from the blastophaga psenes wasp species. There’s a small opening just the right size for a wasp to crawl in and pollinate. Crazy!
While I’m sure I wasn’t stung by a fig wasp I do find myself more hopeful and less resentful towards them. So, there’s that.
Today’s snack suggestion and inspiration is to eat a fig. Skip the vending machine and snack on one of these. Eat them whole (besides the tiny stem), plain, with cinnamon, sliced, chopped, on a salad. You get where I’m going with this.
We’ll communally ignore what they look like, never bring it up again, and just accept that they are delicious.
You probably grew up loving the fig newton cookie—at least I did—and these little guys taste just like the cookie but without all the added ingredients. If you haven’t had a fig cookie, figs have a sweet maple-y/honey like flavor with a date+chia seed like texture.
They can be ordered online (I go through Nuts.com), purchased at Trader Joe’s, a co-op or maybe a local grocery store if you are very lucky.
Fig Benefits [source]:
- Great source of potassium, which helps control blood-pressure, especially if consuming a high-sodium diet
- High fiber, helps in weight management
- Protection against macular degeneration
- Contain Vitamin B6, Copper, Manganese, Pantothenic Acid
Random Fig Facts:
- Native to Middle East and Asia
- Grown for fruit and decoration
- Leaves are edible and nutritious with anti-diabetic properties
- Grow on deciduous trees
- Figs predate the domestication of wheat, barley, and legumes
- I remember quite a few fig trees growing in Portland, Or
Read more about figs:
So…go eat a fig already! xo